The LAS said increased number of frontline staff were deployed to work across the capital on what is traditionally the busiest night of the year.

Hotspots such as Trafalgar Square, Parliament Square, Leicester Square and the banks of the Thames saw LAS staff working with St John Ambulance and the British Red Cross.

The service operated a non-emergency ambulance to deal with some alcohol-related calls treating minor injuries.

A treatment centre was also set up at Guy's Hospital minor injuries unit in London to help reduce the burden of the extra demand.

LAS assistant director of operations Ian Todd said: "The majority of calls we have responded to have been alcohol-related, but each year we anticipate this and have allocated extra resources, such as the alternative response vehicle and the treatment centre at Guy's Hospital minor injuries unit.

"We have also worked together with St John Ambulance and the British Red Cross to ensure that people celebrating in the centre of London have been receiving the most appropriate medical care as quickly as possible.

"At the busiest point of the evening our staff were taking over 450 calls an hour almost four times what they would expect to deal with on a normal night.

"I would also like to express my thanks to all the ambulance crews who have worked extremely hard to care for patients and to cope with the exceptionally high demand."

An LAS spokesman added: "Our biggest problem, not just on New Year's Eve but every weekend of the year, I would say, is alcohol-related calls and that makes it difficult for ambulance service staff to respond to real emergency calls in a timely manner."